Hazards: Fire

Hazards: Fire  Fire is the most common of all the hazards. Every year fires cause thousands of deaths and injuries and billions of dollars in property damage.

Fire is the most common of all the hazards. Every year fires cause thousands of deaths and injuries and billions of dollars in property damage.

Planning Considerations

Consider the following when developing your plan:

1. Meet with the fire department to talk about the community's fire response capabilities. Talk about your operations. Identify processes and materials that could cause or fuel a fire, or contaminate the environment in a fire.
2. Have your facility inspected for fire hazards. Ask about fire codes and regulations.
3. Ask your insurance carrier to recommend fire prevention and protection measures. Your carrier may also offer training.
4. Distribute fire safety information to employees: how to prevent fires in the workplace, how to contain a fire, how to evacuate the facility, where to report a fire.
5. Instruct personnel to use the stairs -- not elevators -- in a fire. Instruct them to crawl on their hands and knees when escaping a hot or smoke-filled area.
6. Conduct evacuation drills. Post maps of evacuation routes in prominent places. Keep evacuation routes including stairways and doorways clear of debris.
7. Assign fire wardens for each area to monitor shutdown and evacuation procedures.
8. Establish procedures for the safe handling and storage of flammable liquids and gases.
9. Establish procedures to prevent the accumulation of combustible materials.
10. Provide for the safe disposal of smoking materials.
11. Establish a preventive maintenance schedule to keep equipment operating safely.
12. Place fire extinguishers in appropriate locations.
13. Train employees in use of fire extinguishers.
14. Install smoke detectors. Check smoke detectors once a month, change batteries at least once a year.
15. Establish a system for warning personnel of a fire. Consider installing a fire alarm with automatic notification to the fire department.
16. Consider installing a sprinkler system, fire hoses and fire-resistant walls and doors.
17. Ensure that key personnel are familiar with all fire safety systems.
18. Identify and mark all utility shutoffs so that electrical power, gas or water can be shut off quickly by fire wardens or responding personnel.

Determine the level of response your facility will take if a fire occurs. Among the options are:

19. Option 1 -- Immediate evacuation of all personnel on alarm.
20. Option 2 -- All personnel are trained in fire extinguisher use. Personnel in the immediate area of a fire attempt to control it. If they cannot, the fire alarm is sounded and all personnel evacuate.
21. Option 3 -- Only designated personnel are trained in fire extinguisher use.
22. Option 4 -- A fire team is trained to fight incipient-stage fires that can be controlled without protective equipment or breathing apparatus. Beyond this level fire, the team evacuates.
23. Option 5 -- A fire team is trained and equipped to fight structural fires using protective equipment and breathing apparatus.